4 nutrition centres launched in Adjumani

Adjumani District has commissioned new nutrition centres in four health facilities to curb cases of malnutrition.

The four centres cost a total of Shs192m.

 With funding from World Food Programme (WFP), Action against Hunger (ACF), a non-governmental organisation, and the district constructed the four centres at Maaji Health Centre III, Agojo Health Centre II, Bira Health Centre III and Alere Health Centre II due to the high number of malnourished children recorded in those facilities.

 Mr Stephen Aliga, a nutritionist and the district focal person, said 28 of the 42 health centers in the district provide nutrition services.

 “In 2022, we managed 1,409 admissions, in 2023 from January to July we managed 524 admissions. These are children below the age of 5 years. Our stunting level by 2018 was 25.6 percent, in 2021 it dropped to 16.3 percent and in 2022 it went up to 18.6 per cent for Ugandan nationals and 10 percent for refugees,” he said at the weekend.

 Mr Aliga said the majority of the health facilities are battling with nutritional challenges among teenage mothers and getting such facilities will help in providing counselling services and education awareness to the young mothers.

 At Alere Health Centre II, a 16-year-old t mother preferred not to be named due to stigma. She visited the facility for nutritional services because her child’s father does not provide food having disappeared for fear of being arrested for defilement.

 “I am still depending on my mother, she is the one providing for me everything, my boyfriend ran away due to fear. I don’t know where he has gone,” she said.

 Mr Robert Okuku, the head of programmes at ACF, said: “We have focused our efforts on the growing refugee crisis on nutrition, food security and livelihood interventions. Our aim is to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, especially those on zero hunger, good health and promoting partnerships,” he said.